Tournament Troubles
by Melissa1205
Summary: A love story between Katara and Zuko. The South Pole is throwing a tournament to increase knowledge about themselves as a nation. During the tournament there are countless balls and parties planned. Desperate men come in hopes of winning the heart of Katara, but her main concern is when countless bad men from her past show up. Can Zuko help her deal with them?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So here we are again. Story number 3. I would like to think that this story will do as well as the last but no one ever knows what will happen. **

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Avatar.**_

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><p>"He stole my seal first!"<p>

Katara whose chin rested on the palm of her hand, moved her eyes to the right while listening to the man who was currently yelling and pointing at the other man present. She sat in a royal chair in the front of the great hall.

"What needs to happen is you need to listen to me you old man. You stole my seal. I never once touched your seals!" The man to the left said as he crossed the small distance between them.

Katara shifted her eyes to the left to listen to that man yell and poke the other man in the chest. She let out a sigh and rolled her eyes since she knew what would come next.

"Idiot."

"Old man!"

"Young Idiot!"

"Give me my seals back!" The apparent younger of the two men yelled. The two men who were fighting were somewhere around GranGran's age. One was slightly older but no one would know if they were to look at them. But to the two of them it was obvious.

Katara could feel her head pounding. She had lost focus with these two as soon as they walked in. They had come to see her at least three times a week since her father left and they always would fight over something stupid. She shut her eyes and began to rub her temples to get her head to stop beating in time with her heart as the yelling began to get louder.

"Please make it stop." She whispered to herself as they just began to yell louder and she was sure half the village could hear them.

She knew she didn't have a solution to the problem. Whoever she agree with would just come back another day with a new issue. There was no win. No win at all. 'I think I should just give them to GranGran. Or better yet send them to live with her.' Katara thought as a small smile spread over her features.

"Your highness." Katara was pulled out of her thoughts as a servant called to her from the door of the great hall. She looked up at the man but did not stop rubbing her temple. The servant smiled at her in a knowing way before continuing. "Fire Lord Zuko is here to see you."

At the mention of Zuko the two men stopped fighting mid sentence and went silent. While the fire nation did not destroy villages anymore, older people still feared them slightly. It had been many years since the end of the war, but some things are hard to get over.

When these two were younger, they never knew if tomorrow would be a fight for their life or if they would have to give up their harvest to the Fire Nation. Living generations like this takes some time to get over. Everyone knew it wouldn't happen overnight.

"You two are staying here." Katara said as she looked at the two old men who were attempting to leave the room quietly. She was going to ask Zuko what to do. She wasn't good at this. Why her father put her in charge of anything so stupid while he was gone she had no idea. "Please send in Zuko."

The servant bowed with a slight smile and left the room to get Zuko. There was a silence over the room while they waited for Zuko to arrive. The two men moved to Katara's left attempting to get out of Zuko's view as he walked in. Katara sat at the front of the room rubbing her temples with her eyes shut. Surely Zuko would help her. Wouldn't he?

Zuko entered the room and looked around as a small smile crossed his lips. The room was entirely silent. Katara sat in a chair in the front of the room while two older men stood to his right. Katara looked as if she had a head ache.

Zuko and Katara had been friends long enough that he knew when he could pick on her and when it was time to run. This was one of those moments where he would run if he were those two men.

He continued to walk across the room and as he reached the halfway point, without stopping, he spoke breaking the silence in his commanding Fire Lord voice "Lady Katara."

When Katara heard her name she looked up with a relived look. "Fire Lord Zuko." Katara said with a small smile in return. "I have an issue and I was wondering if you would help me." She finished with pleading eyes only Zuko could see.

Zuko finally stopped in front of her, even with the men who were fighting a short time ago. He looked at Katara from this closer distance. Oh he knew those eyes. Those eyes were tired and begging for help. He knew if he didn't at least try he would be getting Katara's wrath tonight.

He looked at the two men and then back at Katara, the entire time in his Fire Lord sternness. He smiled a half smile for her eyes only and responded, "Of course. Anything you need."

"Thank you." Katara responded with relief plastered on her face.

She stood up and walked the five short steps towards Zuko. Stopping in front of him she turned to look at the two men to her left. She began to slowly circle Zuko walking towards the men first. "You see these two men continuously come to see only me. Not my father. Not Sokka. Only me to solve their problems that only seem to happen when I am the only one here. One of them is always stealing from the other. I never seem to solve the problem. No one else ever sees anything either." Katara finished when she was between Zuko and the men and was facing the door.

She turned to fully face Zuko so her back was to the men. A plea was in her eyes as she looked at him. "How would you solve it?" She hoped he would understand and help her get out of this terrible situation.

Zuko watched the men as Katara spoke. Neither seems to be listening to what she was saying. They were staring right at him. They seemed scared of him; this was nothing new to him. Zuko glanced at Katara as she asked her question; he saw the desperation in her face. These two men had to be driving her insane.

Katara hardly asked him for help and it was never in matters of this nature. When she did ask for help it had something to do with fighting techniques or a vacation, never politics. He looked past her at the men. "Well what is being stolen?" He asked nicely in his Fire Lord voice addressing the men as he stepped around Katara towards the men with his hands behind his back.

The two men stood there saying nothing gripping onto their clothes like scared children and Zuko was about to scold them.

Zuko took another step toward them and addressed them again. "What is being stolen?" He asked again this time in a firmer voice.

"Nothing." The men yelled together. "We are sorry we bothered you your highness." The men said addressing Katara and bowing before they ran out of the room.

Zuko scoffed slightly as the door slammed shut. "Really I wasn't even yelling at them yet." Zuko said as he turned to face Katara with a smile on his face.

Katara smiled back at him. "It doesn't matter. They will be back. They are always back." Katara said as she hung her shoulders and began to return to her chair.

"When they come back," Zuko began as she walked towards her chair. "In the Fire Nation the accused is placed in prison and all of his belongings in question are taken. If the accusation is proven false the accuser is sent to prison instead." He finished as he followed behind her.

Katara listened as he spoke. She took a seat in her chair when she responded. "Really?"

"Yes." Zuko said as he stopped in front of her. "It is something that has been in place for a long time. It cuts down on these stupid meetings but most people then handle it themselves if you know what I mean."

Katara smiled as she began to sink into the chair a bit. "I will have to try it then."

"Shouldn't your brother be doing this? Or your father?" Zuko asked as he watched her sink into the chair farther. "You are in charge of the water bending schools and to put in your two cents at meetings. It is news to me that you are in charge of disputes among the villagers."

She felt her guards come closer behind her when Zuko took a small shift in his stance. She had felt them move closer when he was announced as well. Why did they always do this? He was one of the family's closest friends. Katara sighed knowing that this would not change in her lifetime.

"Father is in the northern tribe for a secret meeting or something ridiculous. He has been there for two months already. Sokka has been with Suki for the last three and I don't know how much longer he will stay. Sokka is supposedly getting everything ready for their wedding, but I think he just wanted a break before he takes on a larger role when he will be married." Katara said as she slumped further into the chair tugging at her hot roles. She barley had her butt on the chair anymore she had relaxed into it so much.

Zuko watched the guards as he shifted. The closer he was to Katara the closer the guards were to her. Nowhere else he went was like this, but then again he never got this close to other royals. Only Katara and her family. As Katara finished her explanation his attention was brought back to her. "So you have been running this place by yourself for the last two months?"

Katara could almost feel the guards breathing on her neck when Zuko shifted again in front of her. If she wanted to she could reach out without a full arms length and touch him. She turned her head to the guard to her right and she could probably kiss him without even leaning that far out of the chair. This was ridiculous. He hadn't even taken a step since she sat down. All he did was shift his weight left to right. "Yes. And as you can see I am doing a great job." Katara responded sarcastically.

"Your highness. We should not be telling people of where our royalty are and who is leading us in their absence." One of the guards whispered into her ear in concern.

Katara stopped pulling on her robes in an attempt to cool down. She was pissed. Zuko was one of her best friends. How could this stupid guard even say that? She stood slowly and turned to the guards. Her face was stern and she spoke quietly. "Out now."

"But your highness." The other tried to reason.

"Out!" Katara yelled and the guards began to walk out slowly never turning their back on Zuko. As soon as they were out of the room Katara fell into the chair depressed and exhausted. "Zuko please tell me you are here to do something fun. I can't do this much longer."

Zuko smiled as he watched her relax into the chair. Katara was not made for this type of thing, she was freer. Her old job was much more suiting for her. He walked the rest of the way to Katara and took a seat in the chair to her left. Her brothers chair. "Kinda. Are you not liking be a princess, princess?" Zuko responded mockingly with a smile.

Katara glared at him with a smile. "Please don't call me princess. And it's not bad when my father and Sokka are here. But with them gone I am doing everything myself. The budget meetings, villager issues, meetings with heads of states, parties, everything! Not to mention, those two fun loving guards follow me everywhere. They even stand outside the bathroom and my bedroom."

Zuko watched her as she talked. She was starting to get herself all worked up. Soon she would have her arms flying about and water would be running everywhere. "Isn't it always like that? When I lived in the palace as a child I always had someone following me around."

Katara was so frustrated and her stupid outfit was making it worse. She could hardly breathe. They made her wear a corset to make her look more appealing to gentlemen who were coming to win her hand. When was that ever going to happen? She scoffed in her head.

"No it isn't normally like this." Katara said relaxing a bit as she spoke with him. "When they are both here my only duty is to attend meetings and run the school. This means I am of no real importance at the time so I have to guards. When only one of them isn't here I take on that person's duties and no guards still. Since both are not here I have to do all the duties and I get two guards. They say it's because there is only one ruler and it would take days before a new one could come if something happened to me. Stupid."

Zuko sat and listened to her ramble on about what she had to do. He began to relax into the chair and close his eyes listening to her speak. It was so nice being only those two. It was one of the things he liked about when they visited each other. They were always left alone in the Fire Nation because his guards knew nothing would happen. Here she always sent them away. He was rarely alone anymore, just like Katara said. He hated it as well but it was the price for being a royal.

Katara stopped rambling and looked towards Zuko. He was relaxing in her brother's chair. His head was tipped back against the chair and he looked as if there were no cares in the world. Katara smiled at the young king. He had to be tired from his travels. "Do you want to head to your room?"

"No," Zuko said as he opened his eyes and turned his head without lifting it from the chair. "I want to just sit here in peace for a few more minutes before my guard returns." He closed his eyes and returned his head to face forward.

Katara smiled at how relaxed he looked. "Ok just let me know." She then made herself just as comfortable as him. "This is nice."

"Mmmhmm." Zuko responded without moving or opening his eyes. "And since you are in a meeting with big mean Zuko no one should come in."

Katara laughed at Zuko's mocking of himself. It was good to finally relax after so much hard work.

"Katara!"

Zuko and Katara jumped up from their seats in a full fighting stance. They had been startled and this was a common reaction of one who lived in fear for so long.

"Oh my goodness you should have seen your faces." GranGran said as she laughed.

Katara returned her arms to her sides. "Not funny GranGran. We could have attacked you."

GranGran continued to laugh. "In those robes I doubt it."

Zuko smiled at the old woman. She reminded him so much of Iroh.

When GranGran finally stopped laughing at them she spoke. "How is my favorite fire nation royal?"

"Wonderful and yourself?" Zuko answered.

"Fine just fine." GranGran said as he stopped next to him. "I was wondering if you would be competing in the tournament? Since you are here I am going to assume you are."

Zuko smiled at the old woman. "Why yes I am. I was hoping to stretch a bit. No one in the Fire Nation will truly fight me for fear of me hurting them."

Katara scoffed at this. "Seriously? It isn't because they are afraid that if they win you will kill them."

Zuko glared at her. "No."

GranGran smiled at the playful hate between the two. "Well then I will assume you have a date for this evenings opening dinner and ball."

Katara let out a gasp. "It is tonight!" The two people in front of her nodded a bit confused. "I didn't realize it was tonight. My days started to run together awhile ago. That means my father should be home today!"

Katara was so happy. Her father would be home and she would no longer have to do this stupid job.

"Katara I do have to warn you." GranGran began with a slight smile.

Katara rolled her eyes. "Oh no, how many are coming this time?"

Every time there was a ball that she was invited to or that was being thrown in the South Pole, men would come from all over to meet her. At the current moment she was the only Princess that wasn't married. And that was all people really knew about her.

Most men only knew she was a princess nothing about her at all. Sure people knew Katara saved the world but they didn't know it was her. At a ball last year, one man said that she had the same name a famous hero of the war, and that he knew the Katara that saved the world. If she was lucky he would introduce them one day. She walked away from him three seconds later.

"Last count, there were 30 names that I recognized." GranGran said to her poor granddaughter. She knew this made her unhappy but until she married it would be the price.

Katara sighed heavily. "Well at least I will get to compete and show them how stupid they are."

The two with her laughed lightly. As it died down GranGran spoke again "So about that date Zuko?"

Zuko looked at the old woman with a heartfelt smile. "No I do not have a date."

"Great you will be taking Katara. See you tonight." GranGran said as she quickly left the room.

Zuko and Katara stared at the door the woman had just exited through. "She can be really fast for an old lady when she wants to be." Zuko said in awe as Katara just nodded.

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><p>Katara looked at herself in the mirror. Was it too much? Was it not enough? She didn't know.<p>

Since GranGran had left the great hall, her father returned home, Sokka returned, and the hall had been set up for a party. Not to mention guests from all over the world had started to arrive. The tournament was a new creation this year in an attempt to get people to travel to the South Pole. It had been 5 years since the end of the war and few people acknowledged the south as a nation.

She spun in spot. 'Is this too much? Will men be throwing themselves at me again?' She spun the other way and bowed to see what she looked like. 'Would Zuko like it?'

"WHAT?!" Katara said out loud. "You cannot be thinking about that now! You are about to spend the entire evening avoiding as many men as possible. You want to think about that not Zuko."

Katara stood there looking at herself in the mirror. She couldn't take it anymore. Taking one step next to her mirror she threw her arm down. The wall to her room came down and there on the other side stood Zuko.

Zuko let out a sigh as he pulled his dress coat on. "Katara one day I will be naked when you do that and what will you do then?" He finished as he looked at himself in the mirror straightening his attire. The room was simple and Zuko liked it that way. A small sitting room, bathroom, and small bedroom. The only thing in his bedroom was a bed, dresser, and mirror in the back corner of the room.

Katara took a step through the wall. Her person size hole had appeared by Zuko's mirror. He was wearing black pants and boots, a red undershirt, and his red royal coat. He looked more than nice. "I will be in awe of the Fire Lords perfect body." She said as if it was the weather outside.

He let out a slight scoff before he turned to look at her to scold her. "Wow," was all that came out of his mouth instead. She was wearing a blue strapless floor length dress that appeared to be made of silk. She didn't have to worry about the cold, because of the guests they kept the great hall heated nicely. Toph had built the walls of the hall out of the ground far beneath them so the ice would not melt.

"Is it too much?" Katara asked as she spun for him.

Zuko stood there taking in the beautiful sight in front of him. He cleared his throat before he spoke. "No I think you are fine."

"Good. I was worried. Uncle bought it for me somewhere." Katara said as she stepped in front of him to see herself in his mirror.

'Of course Uncle would buy that for you. He knew I would see you in it and not be able to complete a sentence.' Zuko thought to himself as he watched Katara spin in front of the mirror. Her hair was down and the sides were pulled back slightly. The only jewelry she wore was her mother's necklace and a bracelet that Zuko had given her.

Zuko smiled at the small piece of jewelry. It had taken him days to figure out what to get her for her last birthday. Every time he saw her she was always wearing it. It made him feel like he had done something right for once. "Do you like your bracelet?" He asked without thinking.

Katara stopped fidgeting with her dress at his question. She brought her hand to the jewelry in question. "Yes. Why do you think it doesn't go with this?"

Zuko laughed. "You just wear it every time I see you. I want to make sure you like it and you aren't just wearing it because I gave it to you."

"No I love it. I wear it all the time. It matches my mother's necklace almost perfectly." Katara said softly as she touched a small blue jewel. The bracelet was simple. A silver band with five blue diamond's on it.

Zuko walked behind her and placed his finger on a blue jewel. "Good."

Zuko was so close to her, she could feel the heat coming off him. She felt his breath moving her hair on her right side. Why did he always do this to her? Sometimes she thought that he did it to tease her, other times he seems to blush as much as her.

"I should go before GranGran comes to make sure I'm presentable." Katara said as she turned towards the opening. This turn was right into his chest. She was mere inches from it. No wonder she could feel her hair move. She reached out and touched his chest looking up at him she spoke again. "Don't be late."

Zuko smiled down at her. 'It would be so nice if this could happen every day.' "Don't worry I won't."

With that she took a step around him and through the opening. She turned and closed the opening with a smile knowing he would be at her door soon. She turned to look at herself in the mirror when she saw GranGran in the reflection.

Jumping slightly Katara let out a light gasp. "You scared me."

GranGran had a huge smile on her face. "So?"

Katara began to blush a deep red color. "What?"

"Will I be having great grandbabies soon?" GranGran said in a mocking voice.

Katara grew darker. Every time she caught them she always made Katara blush about it and ask what they had done. Most of the time it was them yelling at each other but every so often it would be something embarrassing.

"No worries child I won't push you. Just make sure that you stay close to him tonight." GranGran said in a stern voice.

This brought Katara out of her embarrassment. "Why?" She asked with concern.

"Tikaani is here." GranGran said in an unhappy voice. "We do not need a dead body during this tournament. Does Zuko know what he did last time?"

Katara thought back to the last time she had to go to a ball. Zuko could not attend and Uncle came in his place. She had met Tikaani from the Northern Tribe and thought that he was a very nice noble. She sat down to eat with him and the next thing she remembered Sokka was standing over her while Toph, Aang, Suki, and TyLee all stood facing Tikaani. Apparently he had drugged her food in an attempt to have his way with her. This would then lead to a baby which would lead to him being King. Farfetched, but that was his plan.

"I don't think anyone told him." Katara said in anger as she remembered that night. "Why is he here?"

"Apparently he paid his dues. Pakku is sending a letter to make sure. But I don't think he got in any trouble other than a fine." GranGran said with disgusted. "Would you like me to tell Zuko?"

"No I will do it when he comes." Katara said fidgeting with her hands. There were two men in her entire life that had tricked her like this. Tikaani and Jet. And she hated both of them. And worse yet they scared her. Other than Aang they were the only ones she let herself think she could like. And they used this to get to her. If it was that easy anyone could do it to her. Her guard had been put back up shortly after she understood the situation, and it never went back down.

She had been to many lunches and meetings where men had advanced towards her since then but she had turned them all down. Her trust in men she didn't know was now completely gone. And she had come to terms with this. She felt that she might be alone forever but she knew that it was ok as long as she had friends. She couldn't let anything like that happen again.

And then there was the whole thing that happened with Biah. She shook her head she didn't want to remember that or how much she hated it.

A knock was heard at the door and drew Katara away from her thoughts. GranGran went to get it.

"Hello GranGran is Katara ready?" Zuko asked with a happy smile.

GranGran did not return the smile. "Yes but she needs to speak with you first. I will see you at the ball." GranGran said as she walked past him.

He watched confused as GranGran walked away. He had never seen her like this. 'I wonder what happened. I just saw her three minutes ago and she seemed fine.' Zuko said to himself as he walked into Katara's room and shut the door. "Katara?"

"Hey Zuko." Katara said as she walked into the sitting area. "I need to talk to you about something. And you have to promise me you won't kill him."

Zuko was now very confused and concerned. "Fine."

Katara went on to tell Zuko everything that had happened the night of the ball. As she told the story she could feel the temperature in the room begin to rise. When she finished he was livid.

"Why did no one tell me about this?" Zuko asked as he began to pace the room in anger fresh smoke coming from his nose with every breath.

"Because we thought you would react like this." Katara said softly as she motioned around the room.

Zuko stopped what he was doing and looked at the room. Drops of water had started to fall from the ceiling and it was running down the walls. He began to calm himself as best he could. He did not need to melt her entire room just because he was angry. "So this guy is here tonight." He asked voice full of spite. Katara nodded as she began to slowly refreeze the room around her. "You point him out to me and he will not get within 20 feet of you or anything you touch."

Katara gave him a soft smile and took a step forward. She placed her hands on his chest and he looked at her confused. Without looking at him she began to absentmindedly straighten his clothes as she spoke calmly, "Zuko I don't want you to kill him. I just want you to be with me when he comes. I am scared I will want to beat the shit out of him when I see him. I will be able to handle him with you there. Just don't leave me alone with him or he might end up dead." 'Or I might end up freezing in place and letting him get to me again.'

Zuko watched her as she spoke. She began to shake slightly at the mention of him. If her hands were not on his chest adjusting his clothes he doubted that he would have noticed. Was she like this when she told the story?

He understood what she wanted though. It would look bad if she killed someone at her family's ball, even if it was Tikaani. Katara was not one to hold back when she was upset so this had to be hard for her. But Zuko was confused as to why she was shaking though. "Fine." Zuko said still not too happy about it. "If he touches you..."

Katara cut him off and looked up at him with a genuine smile. "If he touches me don't kill him in the ball room."

Zuko let a small smile cross his face as he looked down into the deep blue of her eyes. "But the hallway is ok?"

Katara let out a small laugh. She loved how he always knew what to say to make the mood change to something less serious. "Yes that's fine."

Zuko returned her laugh before he spoke again. "So the main point here is political image right? I just can't do anything crazy."

Katara spoke still slightly laughing. "Yes. And make sure Sokka doesn't either."

Zuko placed his hands on Katara's exposed shoulders in comfort. "I can't make any promises about Sokka."

Katara let out a louder laugh before moving into hug Zuko. "Thanks."

"What about you?" Zuko asked with her head resting on his chest. "What if you attack him?"

Katara smiled into his chest. "If I attach him he will die before you can stop me."

* * *

><p>Katara stood outside the doors to the ball room next to Zuko. This had to be the part she hated most about these things. Why did she have to have attention brought to her? Sure if she was fighting she would be perfectly fine with all the attention, but ball gowns, dates, bowing. She never knew if she did it right.<p>

"Just relax dear." GranGran said from her spot in line in front of her. "You only have fallen down the stairs four times and tripped over your foot nine, that I am aware of. This time Zuko is with you so you will be fine."

Zuko let out a slight laugh at GranGran. Katara glared at him before she turned a nice shade of pink.

"My favorite was when we were at the North Pole and you slid down the steps after stepping on your dress." Sokka said from behind her with a smile on his face. Slight laughs escaped from the group waiting to be announced.

"I enjoyed when you were in the Earth Kingdom and you tripped so hard your shoe broke." TyLee said from her spot in line. "I have never seen anyone break a shoe like that."

Laughs began to erupt from the group. The conversation then lead to a remembrance of all Katara's terrible mistakes being announced in various locations.

Toph's was at the last South Pole ball when she ended up face planting after trying to walk in as slowly as possible.

Aang's was when she was at his and Toph's wedding and she fell walking up the stairs to stand with them.

Suki and Mai both agreed when she fell at Zuko's birthday party last year and her dress flipped over her head had to be the worst.

Even her father added to the conversation mentioning when they were at the North Pole and she slid on some ice and ended up sliding down a hall breaking a bunch of dishes as she went.

Katara was a nice dark red color when all her friends had finished. Everyone was laughing, some to the point they were crying. Paku was about to say his when the guard approached to signal time to go. The only people to not say something were Mai's husband Dill and Zuko.

She was glad Zuko did not say anything. He had been her date to a few times thanks to GranGran or Uncle. He knew she shook unbelievable during the entrance and had caught her more than once while walking and played it off as if they were side stepping. She would be mortified if he shared how bad she was even when he was there. She sighed mentally knowing she wasn't meant for this.

As her friends were announced her face started to return to normal. As savors of the world they were always announced wherever they went, which is why Katara hates it so much that the men around her have no idea who she is.

As GranGran took a step forward for her name to be said Zuko spoke, "She is right though. You have never fallen when I am with you. And I won't let it happen today."

Katara looked at him as he spoke. A smile graced her face at his words. She knew that he would always catch her no matter how bad it would be. He had done it before. "Thank you." Katara said as they moved forward for their announcement.

Zuko offered her his arm. "I'm more worried about what GranGran told them to say."

Katara took the arm with a smile. Her grandmother could be terrible sometimes its true. "I doubt it will be anything bad."

"Announcing, Fire Lord Zuko and his date for the evening Lady Katara."

Zuko took a step forward, Katara a half second behind. They walked down the length of the great hall with Katara waving at some important people and Zuko nodding at them as they walked. Zuko had his Fire Lord face on and looked somewhat unapproachable while Katara looked happy and carefree. They were complete opposites. Until they saw GranGran, then both had a small smile on their face as she informed them they made it without a fall.

Katara was relieved that her GranGran had not noticed her almost trip over her dress three times. She knew it was because Zuko suddenly took a quick step as well while making his arm as stiff as a board so she could put her full weight on it.

As they turned to face the crowd Katara leaned into Zuko, "Thank you." She whispered just loud enough for him.

He had leaned down to listen to what she had to say. As her words escaped her mouth a smile rested on his face and he just nodded back to her before turning his attention forward and returning to his fire lord features.

Back at the door Sokka, Suki, and Hadoku stood waiting to go. "I like him."

"Me too."

"He would take good care of her." Hadoku said with a smile. "Suki. Make something happen there."

"Me." She said with a shock. "What about you? Even if they did make something out of it didn't the court say no?"

It was Sokka who spoke this time. "I took care of that. Since you were technically a leader of a nation and I was a prince of a nation, I had to convince them to disband the stupid rule."

Hadoku smiled. "Then let's get them together."

"Deal." Sokka and Suki said together with smiles.

"Prince Sokka and his fiancé Lady Suki."

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><p><strong>AN: So what did you think? I hope it turns out as good as I want it to in my mind. I have about 9 chapters written but I most likely will be updating on the first(ish) of every month. Every so often I might through in an extra chapter if I have time.**


	2. Chapter 2: The ball comes to an end

A/N: Hello Again! It is time for an update. We will see how well you guys like this one. Let me know!

_Reviews:_

_Guest - Yes Aang and Toph are married in this story._

_Ldrmas - My last story I updated every Friday and by the end it was hard to do. So this time I am doing once a month to make sure everything comes out as good as it can._

_Guest - I plan on updating as much as possible. Hopefully I keep to it!_

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Avatar.

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><p>The ball had been going on now for around 2 hours. It had to be close to 11. The wine was flowing, the political people were mingling. Based on other parties she'd been to, the party should continue on into the early morning hours at this rate.<p>

"This is so fun!" TyLee said as she bounced in place.

"It's only fun because you keep getting asked to dance by cute guys." Mai said to her friend.

TyLee smiled at her friend. "Maybe you shouldn't have gotten married so fast then."

"She's right." Suki said from her spot by TyLee. "I knew Sokka for a long time before we got engaged. You married Dill three months after you broke up with Zuko."

"It wasn't three months."

"Yes it was." Toph said from next to her. "Four months after the end of the war you broke up with Zuko. Then three months later you married Dill. Even if it isn't exact, it all happened within a year of the war."

"We were in love." Mai said with no emotion. "I just wish he would not want to be all political and make me go to these things."

"You never change." Katara said with a slight laugh.

Aang, Sokka, and Zuko stood not far from the girls speaking with some nobles from the Earth Nation. Zuko was keeping a close eye on Katara. He had spoke with Sokka about the man shortly after they had separated from the girls. Sokka said he would spread the word so everyone would watch for him but Zuko was still on edge.

Every man that came over to ask her to dance he would watch her body language to see if he needed to go to her. Her friends had yet to leave her side but it was only a matter of time before something would separate them. It had almost happened a few times already when all the girls but her a Toph were asked to dance and another time Mai had to turn down her husband. Zuko was having trouble getting away from some of his conversations and it was starting to bother him.

Sure she had said that she was only worried about killing the man, but Zuko didn't think that was all. She would not be shaking if it was only about killing him. He would make sure he asked her later tonight what it really is. She seemed off tonight to him. The Katara he was relaxing with hours ago in the room two doors down seemed forever away at this point.

He needed to get this political crap over with so he could stay with Katara or make her stay with him. He hadn't been this worried about her since when they fought his sister.

Katara watched her friends as they danced and messed around. She knew that Zuko would have most likely told them by now that Tikaani was here. She had watched as her friends had turned down dances so she wouldn't be alone and even Mai had stayed with her once while everyone else danced.

She was starting to get stressed. It had to be close to hour three of the party by now. The moon was full and high above. It was midnight or close to it. She was starting to get tired and wanted to go to bed. She had gotten up this morning at 5 for meetings with nobles and had yet to go to bed. But no one had left the party yet and she couldn't be first, her family was throwing it. She wanted the night to be over already.

She had yet to see Tikaani and she was thankful of this. If she could go all night without seeing him she would be happy. There were close to five hundred people if she remembered the guest list. She assumed most wouldn't come until the games started tomorrow but as she looked around the room it looked as if her assumption was wrong.

She glanced over at Zuko again. He was talking with some men she had never seen before but he was faced so he could see her. She smiled at him and he returned it. It was simple but it made her happy that even though he was suppose to be the big bad Fire Lord right now, he could smile at her. She watched him excuse himself and walk towards her.

"How's your evening going?" Zuko asked once he was close enough she could hear.

"Fine." Katara responded as he stopped in front of her. She took a step closer to him before continuing. "How's the evening going for you?"

"Terrible." Zuko said to her. A confused look crossed her face. "I am here with a beautiful lady and I have yet to spend any time with her, let alone a dance."

Katara's look of confusion was replaced with a slight blush and a smile. "Well maybe you should ask her to dance then."

Zuko smiled in return. "Would you like to dance?"

"Always."

Zuko lead Katara out to the dance floor, a smile on both of their faces. When Katara and Zuko danced together it was always a beautiful sight. They had taken lessons together shortly before the one year anniversary of the war. Zuko was made to take them as a refresher as to not embarrass his nation at the ball. Katara asked if she could join him as she did not have formal dance lessons. Ever since, people would be in awe of them.

They were elegant and powerful, but only when they danced together never separate. They fed off each other, when others danced with them it was lackluster and often they made a fool out of themselves. Many people now knew to just stick to standard dancing with them instead of trying to recreate the amount of energy from the two of them.

Zuko waited for the simple song to end before he pulled Katara close for the next dance.

"Zuko." Katara said in a whisper. His eyes meeting hers the only response she needed to continue. "I have nothing on under this dress. Don't spin me too much."

Zuko smiled at her modesty. "Or I could spin you all I want." Katara looked at the man mocking her with a laughing shocked look on her face, before they both smiled. Katara knew he would keep the spinning down, he was just attempting to make her night a little more fun.

The next song started and the two began to dance. Zuko lead her across the floor like they were floating. Katara was spinning and twirling like waves on the ocean, but never letting her skirt go past her knees. Everyone who had not been watching was now on the edge of the dance floor. People on the dance floor were moving out of the way, until soon only Katara and Zuko were left.

The crowed looked on as Zuko spun Katara and dipped her in one fluid motion. Some were awing others were just looking on in shock. The whispers of how they had danced together at this ball and that ball raced through the crowed as the song played on.

The song was coming to an end and Zuko rushed them into a spin before dipping her. She shot up to his chest as the song ended. Clapping was heard all around them.

Katara was pulled from her trance of their dance and blushed slightly before she bowed. Everyone slowly returned to what they were doing after telling the two what beautiful dancers they were.

Zuko placed his hand in the small of Katara's back and began to lead her towards their friends. When they were four feet off the dance floor they were stopped by a man Zuko did not know. He assumed he was there to tell them how great their dance was like all the others.

"What a marvelous dance." The man spoke.

Zuko felt Katara shift towards him. To a normal person it would look as if the man had scared her because he had appeared from her blind spot, but to someone touching her, Zuko knew that she was attempting to get closer to him.

"Thank you." Zuko said as he tried to move them to the right of the man but he jumped in front of them again.

"I am Tikaani from the Northern Tribe. You are Fire Lord Zuko are you not?" The man asked.

Zuko had hoped that it was his imagination that Katara had moved closer to him but when he heard the name it was over. "Yes I am. Can I help you with something?" His voice was stern and he stepped ever so slightly in front of Katara.

"Yes. I heard that Katara was your date for this evening." Tikaani began. "I was wondering if I could have a dance with her."

Zuko had had his hand on her back the entire time. Once he heard the question his hand moved from her back down to her hand, his voice not changing. "I do not say who dances with her and who doesn't, that is up to her."

"As her date it is your job to inform her who she can dance with." Tikaani spoke to Zuko as if informing him of something a child should know.

Zuko could feel Katara's grip on his hand tighten as if to say don't start a scene. "I'm afraid that we see things differently on that note."

Katara then spoke in a calm voice. Too calm for Zuko's liking. "I don't feel like dancing at the moment. Zuko is my date and we have yet to spend any time together this evening. If you don't mind I would like to spend some time with him." When she finished she placed her free hand on Zuko's forearm that was holding her hand.

"Maybe another time then." Zuko said as he walked away from the man not giving him time to reply. Zuko felt the man behind them attempt to follow. "Toph." Zuko said only loud enough for Katara to hear.

Katara looked at him confused when she heard something crash. Katara attempted to stop and look but Zuko pulled her along. "It's just Bumi." When they had moved far enough away from Tikaani for Zuko's liking he spoke. "I had something set up with Toph. Bumi did something crazy, but normal for him, to get everyone's attention to let us get away."

Katara looked at the crowd that had gathered around Bumi who was not more than a foot from Tikaani. A smile formed on her face from the care her friends had for her well being. Zuko leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Later you will tell me what is going on."

As he stood back up Katara's smile became content. He always knew what she was really thinking or trying to do. She should have known hiding something from him was stupid. She took the arm of the hand still holding hers and pulled it closer leaning her head on his shoulder. "I am ready to go to bed." She said with a sigh as she watched Bumi jump into the air again. Zuko smiled as he kissed the girl's head, so was he.

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><p>The rest of the evening Zuko did not leave Katara's side. They had walked around and mingled amongst the other nobles. Most were coming up to them to speak with Zuko, but after Katara put in her two cents they ended up having a conversation with Katara as well.<p>

'I am pretty good at this.' She thought to herself as another nobleman bowed to them and left. 'Maybe it is just when I am forced to do it by myself that I hate it.'

Zuko looked towards the beauty at his side. He was amazed at how well she was conversing with the noblemen. Most of the time the women would not speak and if they did the men would stop them. The few women that did speak held places in power and were acknowledged as someone worthy of speaking with. Katara would speak when she felt she should and tell them off when they didn't like it. Zuko believed this bought her respect from the noblemen.

He had never really stayed with Katara before during a ball. Sure he had been her date numerous times as requested by Uncle or GranGran, but most of the time they danced once and then parted. 'I should keep her with me more often.' He thought with a smile on his face.

Katara looked at him after scanning the room. "What?"

"Nothing. I am just a little confused as to how you got so good at this mingling thing." Zuko responded with a confused smile.

Katara laughed at his question. "I am just being me. I think that I might be pretty good at this too, depending on the person. That last guy didn't like me very much." Katara responded as she absentmindedly took Zuko's arm and placed her hand in his.

Zuko smiled at how easy she let him so close. "Everyone doesn't have to like you. And the people who don't like you shouldn't be in your life."

"Ok Uncle." Katara said in a mocking tone. "Speaking of, when will he be here?"

"He came with me." Zuko said confused. "Didn't you see him yet?"

"No." Katara responded. "Is he here?" She asked looking around the room.

"No. He asked Aang after we got here if he could borrow Appa and go somewhere for the night. He said he would be back before the games tomorrow." Zuko responded. "I'm surprised he didn't come and talk to you before he left."

"Me too." Katara said as she looked around the room thinking maybe he came back early.

She glanced at the clock. It was close to 3 am. 'When will this end.' Then she looked towards her father. Someone was saying goodbye to him. 'Could it be? Will I get to go to sleep soon?!'

No one wanted to be the first o leave so they waited it out. Finally when a noble's wife fell asleep and was snoring at a table, he had gone to her father and left. After that it was like a waterfall. They all must have been as tired from their journey as she was from working.

The great hall emptied like there was a fire. Within minutes all that was left were Katara and her friends. As they all walked towards her father to say goodnight, she was so happy that she almost wanted to cry. She could hear her bed yelling her name.

"Thank you all for coming. I am assuming you are all going to participate in the games." Hadoku asked while eating a small cake.

"Yes." Was heard from everyone in various ways.

"Good. Head to sleep. Since the opening games are tomorrow afternoon, or this afternoon, you will have plenty of time to rest." Hadoku said as he walked out of the room talking with GranGran.

Aang and Toph followed behind him mumbling about how late they would sleep in.

Sokka and Suki were at the meat table getting a late night snack for their room, as Sokka put it, before they too headed out of the room.

TyLee, Mai, and Dill were behind Toph and Aang talking about all the good dancers of the evening.

Once everyone had left, Zuko looked at Katara standing next to him. "It's finally time to sleep."

"Finally!" Katara said as she grabbed his arm and pulled it to her. She let him lead them towards their rooms while her head rested on his shoulder with her eyes closed.

Katara walked silently with Zuko down the halls. It was a short walk and she could already feel herself falling asleep. But she didn't care, her father and Sokka were home so she could sleep in as late as she wanted.

Zuko was content as he walked down the hall. There was a beautiful girl hanging off his arm and he was pretty sure she was asleep. He smiled at how easy it was to be around her. Everything she did with him always ended up being so simple. He needed this to happen all the time. He needed simple and happy.

As he reached her door he stopped. "Katara."

"Thanks Zuko." Katara said to him with a smile. She was almost out cold on his shoulder.

"Katara. Go into your room. You're gonna have to let me go now." Zuko said as he slowly started to peel her off of his arm. The guard at the door laughed slightly. Zuko looked at the man with a smile as well. "It's been a long night. Can you go check her room?"

The guard nodded before going to check if anyone was inside. The palace did not have wings designated for various things like in the Fire Nation. People could wonder around anywhere depending on where their room was. One of the first balls they had a man had wondered into Sokka's room thinking it was his and fell asleep.

While he didn't take anything it showed them how easy it was for anyone to get into the nobles rooms. Now guards checked the rooms or would stand watch all night to make sure nothing happened.

When he returned Zuko had finally gotten Katara off him. "Good night." Katara said with a yawn as she walked into the room and shut the door.

Zuko and the guard laughed together. "She's almost been up 24 hours." Was the only response Zuko gave the guard before he walked towards his room. "Have a good night." He said as he reached his room. He waited and watched the guard leave.

Zuko ran inside and locked his door to the hall and his door from the sitting room to his room before destroying the wall between their rooms. Katara stood there with her dress unzipped in confusion as Zuko ran past her. "Zuko?"

He ran past her straight to her door and locked it. He carefully scanned the sitting room and began to flip over pillows and furs or anything someone could hide behind. Katara walked into the sitting room holding her dress up by crossing her arms over her boobs. She watched as another fur went flying across the room.

"Umm…" Katara tried but Zuko just walked past her into her bedroom. "Let me try again…ummm…Zuko?"

He still wasn't listening to her. He was too busy looking around her room to see if Tikaani was hiding in her room somewhere. The guard had just walked through, if he was hiding the guard would have never found him.

Katara watched as Zuko looked all over her bedroom. He took more care with this room just turning things over in place and returning them to their original spot. "Zuko." Katara finally said when he looked as if he was finished.

He was slightly panting from his dash to check everything as fast as possible, but he spoke looking around the room to make sure he had checked everywhere. "Yeah?"

"Did you find what you were looking for?" Katara asked from her spot in the doorway to her sitting room. She had leaned against the door frame, still holding her dress in the same fashion, when it was obvious to her that he wasn't going to listen.

Zuko answered as he checked once more under her bed. "Yeah. He isn't here. I feel better now."

"I'm glad." Katara said mockingly. "And I am sure when Nana comes in the morning to clean my room she will be glad too."

Zuko stood from the floor to yell at her mocking tone when it was something so serious but then stopped when he looked at her. "What are you wearing?"

Katara smirked to herself. "I was undressing when you came running into my room."

"Well you didn't lock the door after you came in and I was worried since the guard just did a walk through." Zuko said with a slight blush as he walked towards her stopping half way between them.

Katara smiled at his concern. "Next time at least tell me what is happening when you freak out on me. I was a little scared."

"Sorry." Zuko responded finally catching his breath while the blush slowly faded from his face. 'Damn Uncle and this stupid dress. I forgot she isn't wearing anything under.'

"Let me change and I will come over and we can talk because there is no way I can go to bed now." Katara said as she moved from the door way.

Zuko stopped her from getting closer to him. He was worried what might happen if this half naked goddess was within reach. "Its ok. You've been up for awhile. I just wanted to make sure you were ok. I'm sure you will pass out as soon as your head hits the pillow."

Katara smiled at the slight blush that was returning to his face. Her current attire must be bothering him now that he was paying attention to it. "Ok. Goodnight. "

Zuko nodded and ran through the wall. Katara closed it with a slight laugh. She walked over to her clothes and picked out some pajamas. She went to her bed and laid down. Laying there waiting for sleep to take her, but it never came. She rolled and tossed and tried more blankets. Less blankets. "Gah!"

"I changed my mind." Katara said before getting out of bed and heading for the wall. "I don't think I will listen to him tonight. He freaked me out too much."

Zuko had walked through the wall and started to insult himself about how stupid he was for what he just did. "How could I just run in there like that? What was my plan if I found him? Beat the shit out of him? What would Hadoku say when I tried to explain why I was in her room?"

He then stripped into his undergarments and laid on his bed. "That was so dumb." His bed was simple and small. One fur was all he needed since he could control his body temperature. He pulled it up to his waist and then continued to speak to himself. "I am going to have to watch myself. I don't need any one dead over something so simple. Katara can handle herself. I am just here for moral support."

The words had hardly escaped his mouth as the wall came down. He turned his attention to the hole and there stood Katara in her pajamas, shorts and a t-shirt. She had plenty of furs so there was no need for long pants and a parka.

A smile graced his face. He was the stupidest man alive and now he was almost naked and the girl he loved was walking into his room with almost as few clothes on as him. What god was upset with him?

Katara walked the short distance from her room to his bed. She had sat on it many times while he paced the room or yelled at her. It wasn't something new to her. As she walked towards it he shifted over to make room for her by laying on his side. "Where are your guards?" She asked as she sat down and began to put her legs under the covers.

"Patrolling with yours. I told them I would rather them do something for everyone, rather than just me." Zuko said as he watched her get under the covers with him.

"Oh." Katara said as she moved farther under the covers. She was sitting up leaning against the wall but her clothes were not warm enough for her to not be under a fur. "Thank you for today."

Zuko watched as she shifted to get comfortable before he spoke. "Its fine. Anyone would have done it." Katara smiled at him. He could see how tired she was when she fully turned to smile at him. "Why don't you head to bed?"

"You said you wanted to talk to me." Katara said as she began to shift around again. "Plus I tried the sleep thing and it didn't work. I'm too freaked out now that someone is in my room. It reminded me of Biah."

Zuko frowned as he watched her shift around the bed attempting to get as much of her body under the cover as possible without laying down. He never wanted to remind her of that terrible night again. He felt awful. Zuko pulled the covers away from her. "Lay down."

"I'm fine."

"Lay down."

"It's ok."

"Lay down."

"Ok fine."

He watched as she laid all the way down resting her head on one of his pillows. "I already said it can wait until morning." He spoke as he placed the blanket onto her body. "Right now you need to sleep."

Katara sighed in the comfort of the bed and finally being able to relax. "I knew I was tired after standing all night, but I didn't realize I was this tired." Was it because she was with Zuko? She had just tried to sleep in her room and sleep was nowhere near her. The only difference now was that Zuko was next to her.

Zuko laughed as she struggled to keep her eyes open. "Just go to sleep. And don't snore this time."

"I was sick last time." Katara tried to argue but it didn't sound threatening as she yawned mid sentence.

Zuko smiled and pulled the covers higher over them. It was too much heat for him but he knew Katara would get cold without them. Katara shifted onto her side facing her room.

Zuko had a great view of her back from the way he was laying. He pulled her to his chest so that her back was against it. He wanted to make sure she would get his warmth as well. He smiled as she moved closer into him as well. He didn't care if it was only for his warmth, the fact that they were so close was all he needed.

He lay there for a moment thinking about all the other times they had shared a bed. It would happen very regularly at this point. It first started right after Mia got married. Katara had stayed with him when he had gotten drunk that night. After that it was a normal thing for them to do whenever they were together. Of coarse nothing ever happened and it wasn't every time they were together, but it was still enough that they knew each others little sleeping habits.

Zuko extinguished all the lights in the room with a small smile on his face as he remembered how this all started. "Night Katara."

"Night Zuko."

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><p>AN: Not as long as last time. About 2,000 words shorter but what can you do. Maybe next month it will be longer.

If I get ten comments I will post an extra chapter this month!


	3. Chapter 3: Let the games begin!

A/N: Welcome back! Sorry it has been a week too long. I hope this one is better than the last. :-)

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><p>Katara woke up to the sound of snoring. Zuko hardly ever snored. It normally only happened when he had had a hard day. 'Today must have been bad for him. It was bad for me to say the least, but it must of hit him too.'<p>

Katara lay there for a minute thinking about her current situation. She was laying in bed with the Fire Lord completely content and relaxed. She was happy. So happy. She always felt like this when she was with him. Could she really love him like her GranGran had told her? Or was it just she liked him as a friend?

Would she share a bed with Aang? 'No!' Teo? 'No!' Haru? 'No!'

The more she thought about it the more her realization became true. She did love him. But did he love her? When did this happen? Katara sighed as she tried to locate the moon. It was around 6am. She had only been asleep for 3 hours at best. Zuko would be up soon with the sun at 7 or 8.

She rolled in her spot facing his chest. His arm still hanging over her body. He was snoring lightly but because of her proximity it sounded much louder. She didn't want him to leave her in a few hours. She wanted to sleep in with him, but she knew the sun would call to him and he would wake up like always.

"Zuko." She whispered softly.

He stopped snoring and stirred slightly. "Yeah." Zuko was still hardly awake. She doubted he would remember this in the morning.

"You're snoring." Katara said as she placed a hand on his chest.

"Sorry." He said as he turned to lay on his back. "Long day."

Katara smiled as he shifted to a more comfortable position. As he lay down he reached his left arm out. Katara lifted her head and placed it on his shoulder. His left arm moved to pull her closer and his hand ended up on her hip. Katara placed her hand on his chest as she snuggled farther into his shoulder.

"Better?" He asked as he pulled the cover over them again. Katara nodded with a smile into his shoulder/chest and started to fall back to sleep very happy.

A few hours later it was Zuko who woke up. 'Stupid sun. I am still tired.' Zuko looked down to his chest at the sleeping Katara. He began to slowly realize how they were laying as he woke up more.

Katara had thrown her left leg over his left at some point. He had pushed her shirt and shorts out of the way of his hand and was touching her bare lower back. His face turned as red as his robes form the night before. If he moved he was worried he would wake her up, but if she woke up and found his hand half way down her pants he would be in more trouble.

"Zuko stop moving." Katara whispered from the spot on his shoulder.

Zuko froze. If she woke up now he would be a dead man. He sat there and thought about what to do, when her face turned to look at his. "Is it morning?"

"Yeah." He said hesitant. 'Oh shit!'

"Are you going to get up?" Katara asked as if unhappy at the thought.

Zuko looked at her for a minute. She was unhappy he would leave her. He never normally woke her up when he left. Normally they would be in two different places or no where near each other. He would just get up and leave. Leaving her alone until she woke up. Did she never really want him to leave? He never really asked her. They just went about their day as if it were nothing."Do you want me to leave?"

Katara was slowly starting to wake up as their conversation continued. "Not really."

Zuko smiled at her. "You just want your personal heater to stay and keep you warm."

She turned her head and rested it back onto his chest. "No. I want to stay with you, where we are, for as long as I can. The world out there is getting crazy and you always keep me safe. I just want to feel safe a little longer." By this time she was well aware of his hand. It was maybe an inch from what she could consider the top of her butt. But she didn't care. She wanted him to stay with her until she was ready to get out of bed.

Zuko had a look of shock on his face. He couldn't believe that she wanted him to stay. The shock disappeared and was replaced with a smile. "Ok I can stay for awhile."

"You can stay all morning. You don't have anywhere to be until the tournament starts in the afternoon." Katara said smartly as she tried to move closer to him.

She was right, he didn't have anywhere to be. "If one of us doesn't get up then someone might come looking for us. And I can only stay in bed for so long before the sun will make me get up."

"But we can sleep for a little longer together before you leave and then I will sleep until I can't anymore." Katara said trying to justify it.

Zuko smiled. It was pointless to attempt to fight with her. She would win anything in their current situation. "Fine. At little longer."

Time passed as the two lay there sleeping soundly together. Zuko couldn't remember the last time he had slept this far past sun rise. He felt rested, more rested than he had felt in a long time.

"Zuko!"

Katara's eyes flew open. It was uncle. She sat up and looked at Zuko who had just as much of a look of shock on his face. "Yeah Uncle."

"Why aren't you up yet? Did the travels get to you that much?" Uncle yelled from the other side of his bedroom door.

Zuko had closed his bedroom door and locked it before he had went to bed. Many people had keys to the sitting room but no one had a key to his bedroom. "Sorry Uncle I must have been more tired than I thought."

Katara was getting out of bed as quiet as possible. The floor was cold against her bare feet but she ran across it anyway as quiet as possible to her bedroom wall.

"It's ok just come let me in so we can talk while you get dressed." Uncle said from the other side of the door.

"Right. One second." Zuko said as he waved for Katara to bring up the wall. As quiet as she could while Zuko made as much random noise as possible, she put up the wall. He made the walk to the door and opened it. "Sorry Uncle."

Iroh walked into the room and saw that things were turned over and had fallen all over the floor. "No wonder you made so much noise getting to the door. You destroyed the room."

Zuko closed the bedroom door behind his Uncle and went to sit back on the bed. "What did you need to talk about Uncle?"

"It is almost 9. The sun had been up for over an hour and you were not up. People were starting to talk." Uncle said as he walked to look at himself in the mirror.

"Talk?" Zuko said as he grabbed a shirt off the floor.

Uncle picked up a lamp and returned it to its place on the dresser. "Yes. You were the last to leave last night with Katara. You apparently did a beautiful dance with her and then never let her leave your side again. They are speaking of you two having a secret romance."

Uncle seemed entirely too happy about this possibility. Zuko smiled. "They, or you Uncle."

"Mostly me." Uncle said with a smile as he watched his nephew pick up a chair. "Ok only me and GranGran."

Zuko laughed at how simple the two were. "I'm sorry Uncle but there is no secret romance." Zuko let out another laugh. "Did you speak with GranGran already this morning?"

"Yes." Zuko's attention was drawn to his Uncle at how serious his tone had become. "Zuko this Tikaani is no light weight."

Zuko had completely forgotten about him while he was sleeping with Katara. "What do you know about him Uncle?"

"Not much. After the happenings at the last ball I asked around. No one in the Northern Tribe knows where he came from. He claims he has lived there his entire life but no one knows him before three years ago when he ran as a representative." Uncle said as he took a seat on the bed. "He also has no siblings or friends to speak of. He attends all functions alone and spends money like he has more than enough to spare."

"Do we have anything else on him?" Zuko asked as he put his pants on.

"No that's it. It's as if he came out of nowhere with more money than even you." Uncle said concerned for his nephew. "Tread lightly."

Zuko finished getting dressed while thinking about the man. How does one acquire so much money?

"Zuko your bed seems unusually warm." Uncle said as he ran his hand over the bed.

Zuko became red. "What's that suppose to mean Uncle?"

"Nothing. I was just commenting on it." Uncle said with a sneaky smile on his face.

Zuko hung his head in defeat at his Uncle's trick. "Let's go get some food."

"Excellent idea nephew!" Iroh said as he stood and headed towards the door.

* * *

><p>As Zuko entered the dining hall he noticed Katara sitting next to GranGran and a confused look crossed his face.<p>

"No GranGran." Katara said flatly. Even from this distance Zuko could tell she was tired still and annoyed.

GranGran's eyes were twinkling with excitement as she began to speak again. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Katara said a little too forcefully to her GranGran.

"I see we are walking in at a bad time." Uncle said with a knowing smile as he took a seat down next to GranGran.

Zuko moved to take a seat across from his Uncle next to Katara. He then noticed the anger in Katara's face directed at her grandmother along with the annoyance and tiredness sketched across her face.

"No we are fine." Katara said flatly as she pushed the food around on her plate.

Zuko gave her a look as he began to pick fruit up off a tray. "Sounds like it." He whispered for her to hear.

"Not now Zuko." Katara whispered back to him as she stabbed her fruit with way to much force.

Zuko laughed slightly as he brought his attention to the two elders in front of them as they were also whispering. "What are you two whispering about over there?"

"Nothing you need to worry yourself about son." GranGran spoke to him as Uncle had a sneaky smile on his face. "Did you get enough sleep for the tournament?"

Zuko picked up an egg looking thing as she asked her question. "I guess. I was quiet tired when Uncle came to wake me up."

Katara noted how he easy it was for him to lie to the two in front of him. 'We really need to just tell them. It is making my life more stressful than it needs to be.'

"Katara how did you sleep?" Uncle asked with a smile as he placed a piece of fruit in his mouth.

She sighed. This was getting them nowhere. Her breakfast, lunch, and dinner would just be terrible today if she didn't just tell them. They would pick on them to know end and she knew it. She looked around the room, noting no one in the hall but them. "I slept fine. Zuko's room was really warm."

Everyone froze. Zuko slowly turned his head to look at her. "Katara." He whispered.

"I am so tired of this Zuko. Do you know what the last two months have been like? Do you know what it is always like when I try to get away and relax? I am done lying to them Zuko. It's just become too much work at this point with everything else I have to deal with. Plus do you really think they don't already know." Katara said before she popped a piece of fruit in her mouth care freely.

Zuko sighed as he let his shoulders fall. He was not willing to fight it anymore either. It had been long enough. If someone had to know at least it was those two. "Katara and I have been sharing a room on and off for the last…uh…four….no five years."

GranGran and Uncle had a shocked look on their faces.

"I can't believe you told us." GranGran said not letting the shock drop from her face.

Uncle nodded beside her. "I thought we would have to pull it out of you harder." Uncle's shock had worn off at this point. "And of course we knew. Why do you think we would announce ourselves so loudly only when you were together?"

Katara sat there and thought for a moment. She had never thought of it before but they were louder when they were together. She had just always thought they were louder because she was in a panic to not get caught.

"Why were you bugging us about it then?" Zuko asked clearly confused.

"Because we want grand babies before we die." GranGran spoke.

As she finished Zuko began to choke on the egg he had placed in his mouth after his question. Katara's mouth fell open as Zuko was choking next to her.

"What?!" Zuko said as he finally got a hold of himself. "We are not sleeping together."

"Didn't you just say you were sharing a room?" Uncle stated it as if it was a simple question.

Katara had to be the color of Zuko's shirt at this point. "Yes we are sharing a room but nothing else. We've never kissed. We've never done anything!"

"But you are sharing a room?" GranGran asked confused. "In my day that meant you were sleeping together."

"That was then. Katara and I only share a room every so often." Zuko tried to explain their situation. "It normally happens when we yell at each other." Zuko glanced at Katara for help.

"Ok so normally it is me yelling at Zuko." Katara said as she rolls her eyes. "He falls asleep while I am yelling at him and then I just climb on the couch with him. Or sometimes we are relaxing together in a sitting room or tea room and fall asleep. We rarely even actually sleep in a bed. It's normally a couch or the floor cushions."

GranGran and Uncle still had a look of confusion on their faces. "It normally isn't on purpose. It has only been on purpose twice, and then last night." Zuko tried to approach it another way but then trailed off thinking of the other times.

"When were the other times?" Uncle asked.

Zuko looked at Katara. She shook her head. "It was in the Fire Nation."

Uncle looked between them for a moment before he realized what they were talking about. GranGran had a slight look of confusion as she looked between the two and then Iroh gave her a look that said I would explain later.

"So then…"GranGran tried to think of something to say to get everyone out the current mood. "The tournament today. What event is it?"

Katara looked up to her Grandmother with thanking eyes. "I believe it is hand to hand combat."

"Oh Katara will you be ok with that?" Iroh asked glad there was a change in subject.

Zuko smiled. "She better be. I worked too hard for her to lose to these people."

"Zuko has been training me when I see him, AND I have been practicing." She said with a proud smile on her face as she raised her chin.

"Good." GranGran said with a smile on her face.

As the conversation moved on to much lighter topics laughs erupted from the four. People started to slowly work their way into the hall for breakfast as well. Finally, Katara and Zuko excused themselves to go train before the tournament.

When the two had left the hall GranGran spun on the old man. "What happened in the Fire Nation?"

Uncle sighed. "I had forgotten about it since it happened so long ago."

GranGran looked at him as if she would kill him if he delayed anymore. "It was a few months before the ball for the one year anniversary of the end of the war. Katara and Zuko had been taking dance lessons together. It was a new moon and they were practicing late. When they finished they separated to go to their rooms. The next thing Zuko knew Katara was pounding on Zuko's door screaming his name."

GranGran looked at the man as he told the story. Why had Katara never told her this? And a new moon meant Katara didn't have her bending. GranGran was a little more than concerned at this point.

"When he opened the door he saw his room guard fighting another guard. Katara ran to stand behind him. The guard had attacked her on the way back to her room saying that she was the reason the fire nation fell. She had polluted Zuko's mind and the fire nation was loosing its great standing."

GranGran listened carefully as he paused with a sigh.

"This was the belief of many people in the fire nation of the time. Not that it was just Katara's fault but the entire Avatar group. This has since changed," Uncle reassured her, "but Katara had been attacked many times and easily defended herself but it was always outside the palace never inside. This, though, was a new moon and Katara did not have her bending. The man was eventually captured but not before he had done his damage."

"Damage?" GranGran asked worried her granddaughter had been harmed.

"He was waiting for her in her room. Someone had told him that Katara had no bending during a new moon. As soon as she opened her door he attacked her and threw her onto the ground and attempted to force himself on her. He punched her and beat her and tried everything he could to get her to stop moving."

"When a servant heard her scream she came running to check on Katara. She managed to get away when the servant came in. The man was distracted long enough for Katara to kick him off. As she ran past the servant out the door to Zuko's room, she told the servant to run as well. Zuko said her entire body was covered in bruised from when he attacked her. She had deep cuts on her wrists and shoulders. The worst was the hand shaped bruise on her neck."

GranGran gasped as she listened to what had happened to Katara. She could only imagine how terrible it would have been if it was her.

"She had spent the rest of her trip, in Zuko's room and no one questioned why. They all knew. Lee was assigned her personal guard. That's why they get along so well now. She spent so much time with him almost two months. I don't think that she wanted anyone to know. I know Sokka, Toph, Suki, and Aang don't know. I am not sure why though."

GranGran sat taking in all the information that Iroh had just told her. "So then when Tikaani attacked her a few months ago."

"It most likely reminded her of it. I'm surprised it did not shake her more than it did." Uncle said as he took another sip of tea.

"How do we know it didn't?" GranGran said as she turned to look towards the door Katara and Zuko had left through a short time ago. "My poor Katara."

* * *

><p>Katara sat at the top of an ice over hang. She looked out at the frozen wonderland that was in front of her. She had left breakfast and went to train with Zuko. She met him at her training school and began to train but after a short period of time she no longer felt like it. She excused herself and told him to practice as long as he wanted.<p>

"So when you want to get away you still go to the same spot?" Zuko spoke softly as he took a seat next to her.

"You didn't have to come." Katara said without looking at him.

Zuko looked at the beautiful sight in front of him. "You know, no matter how many times I come here I never get over this view."

Katara nodded as she pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. Zuko leaned back onto his palms closing his eyes taking in the sun.

They sat there for a long time before Katara finally spoke. "So you want to talk?"

"Only if you want to." Zuko said not moving from his spot. He knew Katara. If she wanted to talk there was no way he could stop her.

There was another pause before she began. "He reminds me of Biah."

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked as he pulled his knees to his chest as well, turning to look at her.

"Tikaani reminds me of Biah and Jet. They were both nice at first and nothing seemed wrong about them. Then they both turned into crazy people. Now its happening again." Katara stopped before her voice began to shake. She didn't need to show this now.

"Jet. Biah. Tikaani. I hate them all." Zuko spoke as Katara turned her head to look at him. "They scare you. You, Katara, are not scared of anything. Not to mention they turn you into something you are not. You close yourself off and don't let anyone in. You help people, you don't do that when something reminds you of them."

Katara looked at him with mild shock. "How do you know that?"

"Katara I have been around you for how long? I was there when Biah attacked you. I was there last night when Tikaani was speaking with you. You were shaking. No matter how much you tried to hide it from me." Zuko said with a knowing smile on his face. "I have never seen you shake other than with those two men."

Katara returned his smile. He was pretty good at this reading her thing. Maybe she was spending too much time with him. "Don't tell anyone about Biah. I know Uncle knows and he probably told GranGran but that is more than enough."

Zuko nodded understanding. The less people to know your worst secret, the better.

They slipped into another silence. Katara shifted over to sit next to Zuko and rested her head on his shoulder. "Don't leave me alone with him."

Zuko rested his head on hers. "Never."

She wrapped her arm around his closest to her. "I don't think I would kill him."

"You think you would freeze." Zuko said as he placed a hand on her gloved on. "And let him do something to you while you were frozen in fear."

Katara nodded as one lone tear feel down her face.

Zuko squeezed her hand and began to speak in hate. "If he touches you, he will find out where Biah is."

Katara laughed slightly. "You really are scary sometimes."

Zuko looked confused. "How is that funny?"

"You sit here and act all mean and scary. When you do that all I can think of it that I have heard you snore." Katara said with a light laugh. "And I know about your love of.."

"Katara." Zuko said sternly.

She began to laugh again. "Thank you Zuko."

"Any time." Zuko said as he lifted his head off her and kissed it. "Want to go back for lunch?"

"Not yet." Katara said as she squeezed his arm a little harder.

The two sat there for what seemed like hours just watching the snow in front of them before they finally got up to walk back to the village for food.

* * *

><p>Katara was getting dressed for the tournament when she heard a knock on her door.<p>

"Who is it?" She asked as she tightened her belt around her waist.

"GranGran."

"Come in, I am almost finished getting ready." Katara answered as the older woman opened the door. Katara turned to look at the woman, tears in her eyes. "GranGran what's wrong?" Katara asked urgently as she ran the short distance to her grandmother.

"Katara I had no idea that something so terrible had happened to you." GranGran said as a small tear escaped her eye. "If you would have told me I wouldn't have pushed the marriage thing so hard."

Katara hugged her grandmother before she spoke. "It's ok. I didn't really want anyone to know. And I still don't." She added for good measure. "Zuko took care of it and he has done everything he can to help me with it."

GranGran smiled at how she spoke of Zuko. "He is a good man."

Katara smiled at the old woman. "He is, isn't he?"

"When are you going to accept that you love him?" GranGran asked attempting to lighten the mood.

When Katara didn't blush or yell, GranGran was slightly confused. She responded softly with a smile. "I already accepted I love him. It's the acting on it part that is hard."

GranGran smiled at the young woman in front of her. "Why is that? You seem so good together. Like everything is natural and there is no effort."

"Because GranGran what if I do go for it and he doesn't want it. I would lose someone very important to me in the process. And what if…" Katara let the rest of her answer trail off. She wasn't sure herself how she would even start to act on these feelings.

"Just think about it dear." GranGran said as she watched the questions dance across her face. She knew what Katara was saying but knew from the looks Zuko gave her that he would return her feelings just as much. She let it go for now but she wouldn't stop trying.

Katara smiled and then returned to look at herself in the mirror. "Do you think I will be able to move in this? They are going to heat the tournament area so I don't want to wear something too heavy?"

"I think it would…" GranGran was cut off as the wall next to Katara's mirror came crashing down.

"Katara, what do you think about this outfit?" Zuko asked as he looked down messing with his belt as he walked into her room. "Do you think it will be too hot?"

He finally looked up to see a shocked Katara and a smiling GranGran. He turned the color of his shirt. "I am so sorry. I didn't know you would be here."

"It's fine son. But at least I know how you are getting back and forth between each other's rooms." GranGran said with a smile. "What would you do if she wasn't dressed?" Zuko turned an even darker form of red. "I am guessing this has happened?" She spoke with a light laugh.

"Actually, no." Katara spoke up now slightly pink. "We have never had that happen. Yes there have been close calls but nothing else."

GranGran smiled at the two as they turned a darker red. "Good to know. I will be leaving to take my seat in the stands now. And I think you both have the perfect clothes on."

Zuko let the blush start to fade as GranGran gave Katara a hug before leaving.

"Well that wasn't awkward at all." Zuko said as he looked at Katara.

She smiled at him before walking the short distance to straighten his clothes for him. "You should have been in here before you came in. That was awkward."

He smiled as he let her mess with his clothes. Only his Uncle ever helped him with them until Katara took it upon herself one day to start as well. It always made him feel like she loved him enough to make sure he didn't make a fool out of himself. Making a fool of himself was a worry of his he had mentioned to her many times.

"There. Now the great Fire Lord looks like he is ready to fight." Katara said as she took a step back to look at him.

"Thanks." Zuko said as he stepped to look into her mirror.

She took a step beside him and watched him in the mirror as he looked himself over. She smiled at his reflection before she rested her head on his shoulder. "I think it's time we head to meet our friends for the opening games." He spoke looking at their reflections.

She nodded to him as they turned to leave her room. These games should be interesting to say the least.

* * *

><p>"When is this going to start? He has been talking forever." Toph said as she hung her shoulders and had a more than a bored look on her face.<p>

Katara laughed from her spot next to her friend. "They have to announce everyone and there are over 100 people competing."

"Although I think most are here to say that they fought with Aang or Zuko and survived." Suki said as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other becoming bored as well.

"Well its lucky for them that neither one can kill them." Sokka said from his spot next to Suki.

"I wouldn't kill them anyway." Aang said from the opposite side of Toph. "I don't kill people."

"I think he was referring to me." Zuko stated next to Aang. "But I haven't killed anyone in like 3 months so we are good."

Toph and Suki let out a slight laugh at the Fire Lord's joke while Aang and Sokka looked at him in shock thinking he was serious.

"Guys I was kidding." Zuko finally said when their faces didn't fall. The girls began to laugh harder when the boys responded with an "I knew that" and attempted to play it off.

Katara stood with her friends a small smile on her face. She missed this.

"Now that everyone has been introduced we will begin out tournament. Everyone will compete in the first and second round, then during the third round Katara and the fighter with the best time will be taken out of the tournament. The two of them will fight the final two standing at the end of the tournament. Let's begin!"

"Finally!" Toph yelled in response while there was a loud cheer from the stands.

"First we have hand to hand combat. There will be a 20 minute limit on each fight. Whoever is standing at the end will continue. If both are standing, both will advance."

A cheer erupted from the crowd.

"First up with have Toph vs Iga."

"Toph you're doing hand to hand?" Katara asked confused.

"Yeah I can bend to see, I just can't throw rocks at them." Toph said with a smile as she went to the starting spot in the center of the arena.

Everyone else slowly made their way out of the arena to sit in the stands and watch the matches.

"Is everyone ready?! Go!"

As soon as he said go Iga ran across the dirt of the enclosed arena in an attempt to have one up on the blind girl.

"Stupid." Zuko said from next to Katara. When everyone looked at him he continued. "She came to me when we got the invites and wanted training."

"She beat me the last time we practiced." Aang said adding in his two cents but not taking his eyes off Toph.

"That doesn't say much Aang, you aren't very good at hand to hand." Zuko said with a smile toward his friend.

Katara smiled. "So who of us didn't you train?"

He returned her smirk. "Suki, because she is just too amazing to need my help."

"Why thank you Zuko." Suki said with a proud smile on her face.

Toph felt the man begin to run at her. "This is too easy." She felt him dive at her. She side stepped easily without effort and jumped into the air bringing her elbow down on his back. He fell to the ground with a loud thud. He was down there was no question about that.

"First win goes to Toph!"

"Way too easy."

The tournament progressed farther and each had competed accept for Katara. She was waiting her turn. Sokka had easily won, as had Zuko. Suki had ran around a bit to make it look interesting. Aang had had a lot of trouble but eventually won. It was only Katara now and then first round of hand to hand would be over for her friends.

"Up next Katara vs Kagura."

"Oh, girl vs girl." Sokka said from his seat a little excited.

There had been plenty of girls competing but the men still out numbered them 4 to 1, so it was interesting when a girl vs girl match appeared.

As they walked into the arena together Katara took notice of the girl. She looked to be about her size with a smirk on her face that reminded Katara of Zuko. Katara took her spot on the arena as Kagura took her spot across from her.

"Go!" the announcer yelled.

Katara, suddenly aware of the fight, quickly took her fighting stance preparing herself for the girl to move but she didn't. 'Great now I am going to have to go on the offensive.' Katara waited some more to see if the girl would move but she never did. 'I am not good at offense. I am good at defense. Attack me already.'

Katara decided she would move. Not attack but just move left. Taking one step left and then stopping she looked at the girl in front of her. The girl did not move. 'What the heck?'

Katara moved back to where she was and then to the right one step. 'The girl still didn't move? What the hell is wrong with her?'

Katara began to relax and stand. Still the girl didn't move. "Ok what is wrong with you?" Katara asked starting to feel frustrated.

The girl didn't respond, didn't move, didn't anything.

The crowd had stopped cheering as well when 5 minutes had passed and nothing had happened. Low murmurs were all that could be heard.

Katara dropped back into her fighting stance. Something just didn't seem right about this at all. The girl had seemed like she was ready to attack Katara they even shared a smirk before battle. Why would she do this? She began to look the girl over and noticed there was a lot of blood pooling by her right foot. She began to move closer to the girl, slowly. When she was close enough she looked at the girls eyes. They were wide and looked like they were in pain.

No longer caring about the tournament, "Toph!" Katara yelled from her spot on the field as she began a mad sprit for the girl. "Aang! Zuko!"

The three she yelled for jumped down into the arena while Sokka and Suki went in opposite directions to search the stands.

As soon as Toph's feet hit the dirt she knew something was wrong. "Katara she needs healing now. Zuko, Aang to your right. Sokka the north exit!"

The crowd all looked on with no noise as they watched the group move around the arena. Some were confused. Other's had a slight panic about them. It could get bad in moments if everyone started to run.

Aang and Zuko ran to the stands that Toph had directed them towards. "Aang there is a wire connected to her about 6 feet in front of you!"

Aang stopped in his dead sprint as he let a gust of wind rip. Suddenly Kagura fell to the ground, Katara catching the girl ready to heal her.

Zuko reached the north entrance and faced Sokka but they didn't see anyone that looked suspicious. "Toph?" Zuko yelled.

Toph reached the center of the arena and pushed her feet deep into the earth. If they were going to find this person she needed to see everything. She searched the arena with blank eyes as she felt everyone move. "Three people to your right." 'Are there any others?'

Zuko grabbed the man in question. "Why hello."

Sokka grabbed the wire that was still hanging out of his sleeve. "I believe you need to come with us."

The man didn't flinch or run he went with them easily.

Katara watched as they left confusion on her face. "That was too easy. Do you think someone was testing us?"

Toph stood in the middle of the arena about 12 feet from Katara who was attempting to secretly heal the woman who had been steadily loosing blood for the last ten minutes now. "I don't know but they better have something better than that planned."

Out of nowhere Aang was next to Toph holding an arrow that was aimed at the short girls head. He had just caught it mid air, inches from Toph's head. His eyes were starting to turn blue. "Aang remember you don't kill people." Toph tried to calm him as she felt his aura rumbling.

"I won't kill him. I will just make it so he can't move again." And with that Aang was gone into the crowd. Toph had a smirk on her face. Someone was stupid to try and attack her with Aang around. A few seconds later a very unconscious body landed with a loud thump close to Toph. "See didn't kill him."

"Well it's just another day here in the South Pole with the Avatar group. I guess we can't go more than a few days without someone trying to kill us." Toph said as she began to walk towards the north entrance.

Aang grunted as he air bent the man along with them as he followed.

"Yeah. I missed them." Katara said with a smile as she watched them walk away still healing the girl as a group came with a stretcher.

* * *

><p>AN: And there you go! Let me know what you think. And the deal still stands I get 10 reviews you get two chapters in one month! Make it happen people.


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